Big decision? More thinking might not help

The more important a decision is, the longer we’ll analyze the pros and cons. The longer we wait to hope that the answer will reveal itself.

But this assumes that more thinking leads to better decisions. And I’m not so sure that that’s the case for many of our personal big decisions.

If you’re a billion-dollar company looking to buy another company worth hundreds of millions then yes, analyze the potential transaction thoroughly. Carefully look through the books of the company you’re about to acquire. You need that information to prevent disaster.

But when you’re deciding whether to study physics or economics, whether to take one job or the other, or whether to attend grad school, realize that there is a limit to how much even more information will help your decision-making.

More thinking might not help. If so, choose now and save your energy for things that will really change your life. Flip a coin to decide, if you have to.

Yours,

— Peter

P.S. You could use the energy you save to join the 30-Day Creator Challenge. Others are already writing, recording podcasts, or taking photographs every day—why not you, too?

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